Key-holder



' sept. 1, 1931.

H. L. CUSICK KEY HOLDER Filed March 26, 1931 INVENTOI( I 171A A TTORNa/Egy Patented Sept. l, 1931 PATENT OFI-ics HYLAND L. CUSIGK, OF PITTSBURGH, EENNSYLVANIA Y f KEY-HOLDER Application filed. March 26, y1931.A Serial No. 525,459.l

This invention relates to keyholders, especially to this kind of holders adapted to be carried about by a Vman either on his trouser belt or on the waist band of the trousprovide such a keyholder which is adapted to fit more than one width of belt and which is provided with special resilient holding means to prevent the free shifting ofthe holder on the belt or the waist band of the trousers. Still another object of this inventionisf the provision of a keyholder which is simple in construction, cheap of manufacture and from which the keys can be easily applied in place or removed by using one hand only. Additional features and advantages of this invention will appear in the followingdescription considered in connection kwith the accompanying drawings which forms a part of this application.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the keyholder, as applied to a trouser belt B. n

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, the belt being omitted. I

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the so-called ring-plate of the key holder shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of a slightly modified clamping member-for the key holder, said member being adapted to be completely manufactured by the stamping and bending process. v A

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the ring-plate preferably used in connection withthe clamp member shown in Figli.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5. Reference being had to the drawings, a keyholder made in atcordance withthis-invention consists of a clamping-member 1, a ring-plate 2 and a key ring 3, of usual-'design, on which the keys are suspended. n

The clamping member shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is made of resilient material, preferably steel and comprises a front portionl tjbent rearwardly at the top and bottom to produce the top leg 5 and bottom leg 6 which is parallel to the front portion 4l. The top leg is considerably longer than the bottom leg and is slightlyinclined to overlap the latter. In thetop leg is formed an inwardly directed depression 7 producing a stop 8 which acts`as a vlimiting meansfor a narrower belt and thus prevents the clamping member 1 from sliding up on said` narrower belt. Thus, for instance, if the clamping member is made to accommodate a belt of'one and one half inch maximumwidth, the stop 8 would be so located as to accommodate belt of, say. one inch standard width. In addition to its funcytion as a limiting means, this stop 8 also acts as an eXtra clamping means when the key holder is used on large belts or ont-he waist band of trousers since it will partly dig it- 1 self'to the'clamp'edgoods and prevent shifti ing of thekey holder. The free end of the top leg bearingon the lowerleg is preferably bent slightly outwardly' as shown at `9 to facilitate the application of the clamping member, over the waist band, especially, as

will be readily understood.

` To further prevent the shifting yof the key holder on a belt or waistband, the top leg 5 may be provided 'with a spring-'feather 10 directed inwardly into the open, belt receiving, spacey 11 and'preferably struck out directlyfrom said leg. Adjacent the free end of the spring-feather there is formed therein an inwardly directed bump l2 terminating with a slight extension 13 bent outwardly so as to normally recedemfrom the apex `of the stop 8. The purpose of this construction is to prevent the top Vedge rof the waist band from wedging.` itself. between the spring feather and the top leg 5 when the clamping melnber is applied. The resilient pressure of this spring feather together with its belt or waist band `engaging bump willkeep the keyholder against free sliding .movement vertically as well as horizontally.

On the vfront portion 4 of the clampingmember thereis secured, substantially midways, a stud 14 comprising a circular head 15 and a flatshank 16 disposed cross-wise, re-

spectively horizontally on said front portion.

The so-called ring-plate 2 is suspended on the stud 14 and consists of a substantially fiatsheet of material, preferably of metal, of any suitable shape, such, for instance, as shown in the drawings.

Centrally of this plate are producedfthe round apertures 17, 18 and 19 connected together by a narrow slot 20 of sufficient width to slidingly receive the narrow side of the flat shank 16. As shown at 21, the connections between this slot and the connected apertures are rounded off, to facilitate the application or removal of the ring-plate. The lower aperture 17 is larger than the head 15 of the stud, and the apertures 18, 19 are iden# tical but smaller than said head to prevent the ring-plate from falling oflZ the stud, once the former is suspended on the latter.

The length ofthe shank 16 is somewhat greater than the thickness of the ring-plate to allow the latter to swing freely about said shank and to facilitate its application or removal. Intermediate the apertures 18 and 19 there is produced inthe ring-plate a con'- cavo-conveX bulge 22 of sufficient height to produce a moderate frictional engagement of said plate with the underside of the headl and the front portion 4 of the clamp; The purpose of this bulge is, of course, to hinder the free and accidental disengagement of the ring-plate and the keys attached thereon from said stud.

T '0 suspend the ring-plate on, or to remove it from, the stud, it is first necessary to hold the plate in a horizontal position Vso that the narrow side of the shank 16 may slide within the slot 2() untilthis shank reaches the top aperture 19. ringplate is released and its weight, together with that of the appendedV keys, will automatically cause it to assume its normal vertical position, whereby the shank will assume a posit-ion cross-wise Vof the slot 20 and thus prevent any pronounced axial displace'- ment ofthe ring-plate.

In the lower portion of the latter is formed a separate hole 23 in which is inserted an ordinary key-ring 3 on which keys 24 may be hung, in the well known manner.

The purpose of providing the intermedi' ate stud aperture 18 is to reduce the possibilities of the ringeplate from accidentally falling off the stud 14. Should for any reason the ring-plate, with the appended keys, assume a horizontal position and thus enable the stud-shank 16 to enter and slide along the upper portion of the slot 20, this ring-plate, upon the stud-shank entering the inner stud aperture 18, would by virtue of its weight and that of the suspended keys most probably assume again a substantially vertical pesition whereby any further travel of theshank-16 in the inner portion of the slot lVhen in this position the clamping member; y

20 would be prevented, on account of the now cross-wise position of the shank relative to this inner portion of the slot. If desired, additional stud apertures could be provided in the ring-plate to further insure the latter against accidental disengagement from the stud 14. y

The modified construction of the clamping member 25 shown in Fig. 4, differs from the one above described only in that the stud 26 is formed as an ii'it'eg'ralV part of said member by the stamping and bending process. As plainly shown, this stud comprises a substantially circular head 27 connected at the top to the flat, transverse shank 28 struck up from the front portion of the clamping member. The other parts of vthis modified clamping member being identical to the, ones already defined, have been respectively identified by the same reference numbers.

If desired, the ring-plate, especially when used in combination with the modification of the clamping member, Fig. 4, may also be slightly modified by providing at the top of the upper stud aperture 29 a substantially rectangular recess 30 of sufficient size to snugly accommodate the shank 28 of said stud. Bythis manner of support the free swinging of the ring-plate and appended keys will be considerably reduced, thus minimizing the wear on the trousers due to continueus'fric tion, without in any way affecting the ease with which the ringplate may be ap )lied to or removed from the elampingmem er.

Itisthought that fromthc above description the method of applying the keyholder to a belt or waist band will be readily understood, and-that a detailed comment on this subject maybe dispensed with.

. As will be understood', as suggested herein,

there may be slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details of myinvention without departing-from the field and scope of thesame, and-I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims,'in this application in which the preferred forms only of my invention are disclosed.

I claim:

lio

1. In a keyholder, a clamping member, a :1,15

stud mounted thereon and comprising a head and a shank of substantially rectangular cross-section disposed transversely of the a ring-plate freely mountedon said shank, and a key ring depending from the ring-plate, said ring-plate having a: plurality of axially disposed apertures adapted to be Vengaged by said shank and connected together by a slot ofl greater width than the thickness of said shank.

2. In a keyholder, a clamping member. a stud mounted thereon and comprisin a head and a shank of substantially rectangular o'ross-seetionY disposed transversely of the clamping lmember 5. aring-plate freely mounted on said shank, and a key ring depending from the ring-plate, said ring-plate having a plurality ofaxially disposed apertures connected together by a slot of greater width than the thickness of said shank, one of the end apertures being greater than the head of said stud and the other aperturesbeing smaller th an said head, said ring-plate having also a separate aperture adapted to be engaged by the key ring.

3. In a keyholder, a clamping member; a stud mounted thereon and comprising ahead and a shank of substantially .rectangular cross-section disposed transversely of the clamping member; a rin g-plate freely mounted on said shank, and a key ringdepending from the ring-plate; said ring-plate having a plurality of axially disposed apertures c011- nected together by a. slot of greater width than the thickness of said shank; one of the end apertures being greater than the head of said stud and the others being identical and smaller than said head; said ring-plate having also a separate aperture adapted to be engaged by the key ring, and coneavo-convex portions positioned intermediate the smaller apertures and adapted to create frictional engagement of the ring-plate between said head and clamping member.

4:. In a keyholder of the character described, a clamping member adapted to be positioned on a belt, said clamping member comprising a front portion, a short lower leg disposed in spaced parallel relation rearwardly of the front-portion and aflonger top leg also disposed rearwardly of the front portion and partly overlapping said lower leg, and a stop means positioned on said top leg adapted to fit a narrower belt than the widest belt accommodated by said clamping member.

5. In a keyholder of the character described, a clamping member adapted to be positioned on a belt, said clamping member comprising a front portion, a short lower leg disposed in spaced parallel relation rearwardly of the front portion and a longer top leg also disposed rearwardly of the front portion and partly overlapping said lower leg and an inwardly directed stop means formed integrally with said top leg adapted to fit a narrower belt than the widest belt accommodated by said clamping member.

6. In a keyholder of the character described, a clamping member adapted to be positioned on a belt, said clamping member comprising a front portion, a short lower leg disposed in spaced parallel relation rearwardly of the front portion and a longer top leg also disposed rearwardly of the Vfront portion and partly overlapping said lower leg, a stop means positioned inwardly on said top leg adapted to `fit a narrower belt than the widest belt accommodated by said clamping member, and resilient means positioned onsaid top leg and adapted to frietionally engage said belt.

7,'bIn a keyholder of the character d escribed, a clamping member adapted to be positioned on a belt, said clamping member comprising a front portion, a short lower leg disposed in spaced parallel relation rearwardly, of the front portion and a longer top leg also disposed rearwardly of the front portion and partly overlapping said lower leg, a stop means positioned inwardly on said top leg adapted to fit a narrower belt than the widest belt accommodated by said clamping member, and an inwardly directed spring feather formed integrally with the top leg and adapted to frictionally engage said belt.

8. In a keyholder y of the character described, a. clamping member adapted to be positioned on a belt, said clamping member comprising a front portion, a short lower leg disposed in spaced parallel relation rearwardly of the front portion anda longer top leg also disposed rearwardly of the front portion and partly overlapping said lower leg, a stop means positioned inwardly on said top leg adapted to t a narrower belt than the widest belt accommodated by said clamping member, and a spring feather positioned on said top leg and adapted to frictionally engage said belt, the free end of said spring feather receding from said stop means.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

HYLAND L. CUSICK. 

